The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1887-03-26
A PLAIN SPOKEN CHAPLAIN.
IN. q. States.l

IN. o. states.l
Mr.. w. HI. Milburn, chaplain of the
Forty>ninth Congress, gives an inter
estiug account in the March number
of Lippincott's of how it came about
that he was first elected TO the chap
laincy.
In the month of November, 1916,
when he was a young man of twenty
odd, aud was on mission from his
bishop to the large cities of the Eas-
tern States TO collect funds for a strug-
Cling Methodist college out West, he
chauced to embark on q steamer at
Cincinnati with number of passcn.
gers who turned out to be Congress.
men on their way to Washington. The
young preacher was pretty badly
shocked at the conduct Of these rep
resentatives of the sovereign people
of the United States, for not few Of
them used the most outrageous Ian-
guaee OF profanity played cards day and
night, and drank villainous whisky
until they wallowed about the decks
like swine.
Owing to detention by low water In
the river and by foHe, Sunday had
10 be spent on board; and, rs Mr.
Milburn was the only representative OF
the preacher class in the crowd, he
was asked to hold service on the
boat. He jumped at the opportunity,
as he was anxious to speak word or
two of his mind to these "Sons Of
Belial." So when his discourse to the
congregation of about 500 persons was
closed, he turued TO the Congressman
who occupied the places Of honor mt
his right aud left, and said:
81 understand that you arc mem.
bsrs of the Congress OF tho United
States, aud as such you are, or should
be, the representatives not only of the
political opinions but also OF tho intel.
lectual, moral, and religious condition
Of the people Of this country. AS i had
rarely seen men Of your class, felt on
coming aboard this boat natural in-
terest to hear your conversation and to
observe your habits. 1t I am to judge
the nation by you, can come to no
other conclusion than that 1t is COM
posed Of profane swearers, card players,
aud drunkards.
"Suppose there should be an intelli.
gent foreigner on this boat travelling
through the country with the intent Of
forming a Well-considered aud un-
biased opinion as to the practical work.
ing of. our free institutions {; seeing you
aud learning your position, what
would be his conclusion? Inevitably,
that our experiment is failure and
our country is Fastening to destruction.
Consider theinfluence Of your example
upon the young men of the nation
what school Of vice you are helping
to keep up. II you insist upon tho
right Of running yourselves, do not by
your example corrupt and debauch
those who are the hope of the land. l
must tell you that as an American
citizen I feel disgraced by your be.
havior; as a preacher Of the gospel l
am commissioned TO tell you that un-
less you renounce your evil courses,
repent of your sins, and believe upon
the Lord Jesus Christ with unto
damned"
This was certainly vigorous Ian.
guage for q raw youth OF twenty-five,
fresh to the ministry, and 30 blind that
he could not see distinctly even the
nearest of those he was addressing, TO
use toward the chosen representatives Of
the people and it Is hardly any won
der that as he tells US, he retired
straiRhtway to his stateroom TO rumi-
nate with certain amount OF dismay
on the probable effects OF his boldness.
He was not kept long in doubt. A
deputation from the Congressman
whom he had reproved waited on him
almost Immediately, bringing with
them purse containing nearly huns
dred dollars, a compliment for his
fearlessness OF speech, and request to
know whether he would allow him-
self TO be nominated for chaplain in
Congress. lie gave the permission,
aud the nomination and appointment
followed.
This first chaplaincy Of MIR. Mil
burns was in lS45, 30 that no had the
opportunity OF seeing daily the giants
| Of q previous generation whose names
are enrolled in the archives OF oul
country,
The dead. but sceptcr'd, sovercigns wh'
| rule
| Our spirits from their urns.
| In the Senate were such men as Dil
and Dick inson of New York, Clayton
of Delaware, Mangum and Badger o
North Carolina, McDufiie of Soutl
Carolina, Berrien OF Georgia, Reverb.
johnson OF Maryland, Crittenden o
Kentucky, Atchison and Benton c
Missouri, Csss of Michigan, Simol
Cameron of Pennsylvania, Corwin c
Ohio, etc. Clay he did not see, for h
had resigned his seat in 1912; but thos
two other members Of the immoria